It's not too late to drop a dress size by Christmas! A brilliantly simple new diet that's sweeping the U.S. targets your tum –and boosts your health

What would you say if someone told you it was possible to drop a dress size and get a flatter tummy by Christmas without counting calories, spending hours on the treadmill or resorting to unhealthy faddy eating?

This is the promise of a new hit diet taking the U.S. by storm.

The DASH diet (DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was developed by the nutritionist Marla Heller, and was recently voted the healthiest diet in the U.S. by a panel of doctors.

Scroll down for video

Don't panic! There is still time to slim down for that Christmas party dress with the new DASH diet taking the U.S by storm

The plan, which is endorsed by The National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute and The American Heart Association, was devised to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol and help ward off diabetes. However, its amazing ability to help people lose weight has quickly turned it into a bestseller.

Now, just in time for Christmas, Heller has turbo-charged the original regime to create an even more powerful weight-loss plan.

In this exclusive extract from her new book, The DASH Weight Loss Solution, Heller explains how her simple diet can transform your figure in time for your Christmas party — without counting a single calorie or following a punishing fitness regime.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

But unlike other crash diets, which can have an adverse effect on your health, this one is scientifically proven to boost health.

Over the next two weeks, you can not only drop a dress size and flatten your tummy, but fire up your metabolism and train your appetite to resist all those calorific treats you’ll be tempted by over the festive season.

If you’re worrying whether you’ll be able to squeeze into that unforgiving party dress this season, the DASH plan is a godsend.

So how does it work? Instead of counting calories and fussing over fat, Heller says the best way to lose weight is to focus on the type of foods you are eating. The key is to choose lean proteins and healthy fats that will help to fill you up and control your appetite, rather than spend time worrying about the things you need to avoid.

Unlike other crash diets, which can have an adverse effect on your health, this one is scientifically proven to boost health

Divided into two phases, the diet promises not only to help you lose weight — in particular around your stomach area — but has been proven to lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and developing diabetes.

Phase One of the DASH diet (the initial two weeks of the programme that we will be outlining here) is a low-carbohydrate transition period designed to reset your metabolism.

This protein-rich eating plan — which cuts out fruit and wholegrains for 14 days — will keep you feeling satisfied for longer and, because it’s low in carbs and sugars, also helps trigger fast, immediately visible weight loss.

Phase Two then reintroduces wholegrains, fruit and starchy vegetables in order to maintain and continue your weight loss, as well as improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Heller says that although the DASH diet is not designed to be an aggressive weight-loss regime, and results will vary from person to person, people tend to lose around 5lb in the first two weeks — and between 10 lb and 35 lb over a period of two months.

So what are the key things you need to change about your eating habits to see results before Christmas? First, you will learn to consume lots of vegetables. You can eat as much non-starchy veg as you want to — there are no limits. You should also include protein-rich foods, such as lean meat, fish, low-fat cheese and nuts, that increase satiety, helping to reduce snacking by keeping your blood sugar levels more stable.

By cutting out starchy and sugary foods, your metabolism will operate more efficiently, since you will have a reduced demand for insulin (the hormone that keeps blood sugar levels in kilter). You will also notice you are eating lighter, healthier foods, which will make you feel more energised.

Within the first few days, you will notice your waist shrinking as you lose belly fat, which tends to build up when we eat large amounts of carbohydrates.

Here’s how to do it . . .

PHASE 1: Lose that bulge in 14 days

For the next 14 days, include
moderate-sized servings of these three food groups in every main meal
(ie. breakfast, lunch and dinner). As a guide, a portion of meat, fish
and poultry should be the size of your palm. A handful of beans, nuts,
lentils and soy foods is about right. A portion of cheese should be the
size of a small matchbox.

EAT...1. Foods that are protein-rich and low in saturated fat. These include:

Lean meats

Fish and poultry

Beans and lentils

Soy foods

Low-fat cheeses

Eggs

Unsweetened or artificially sweetened yogurt (one small pot per day)

Eat foods that are protein-rich and low in saturated fat like lean meats

2. Heart-healthy fats. These are
foods that contain omega-3 and polyunsaturated fats, which have been
shown, if eaten regularly, to have beneficial effects on circulation and
reduce the risk of heart disease. Good sources include:

Avocados

Vegetable oils, especially olive, rapeseed and nut oils

Note that coconut oil and palm oil
are excluded, since they are high in saturated fat, along with salad
dressings, especially those based on these two oils.

3. Foods that are protein-rich and contain healthy fats. These include:

Nuts (preferably non-roasted and unsalted) and seeds

Fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel.

PLUS...

As much sugar-free, fruit-flavoured
jelly as you want — this will become your fruit and dessert substitute.
All vegetables, with the exception of starchy vegetables such as
potatoes and corn, are also unlimited.

Eat three meals a day, plus a
morning, afternoon and optional pre-dinner snack. Do not skip any of the
main meals or snacks. This will keep your blood sugar steady, and help
you avoid hunger.

Challenging fitness activities
such as jogging, Zumba, aerobics, cycling and weight training should be
avoided. Instead, try to do no more than 30 minutes of light or moderate
activity per day. Moderate activity such as walking or gentle yoga will
keep blood sugar stable and burn belly fat.

Go to bed earlier. You may
initially feel less energetic on this two-week ‘jump start’ programme.
Don’t worry — your energy levels will go back to normal once you move on
to Phase Two of the programme.

Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid
caffeine and instead aim for at least eight glasses of water, vegetable
juice and herbal tea a day.

Don’t cut out salt altogether.
This 14-day programme can be dehydrating. Without starchy and sugary
foods, your body will flush out excess fluid more quickly than usual.
Allowing yourself to have plenty of drinks and a moderate amount of
salty foods will help prevent too much fluid loss.

Relax. You may get frustrated in
the middle of the jump-start period. Your body is going through lots of
changes, all for the better. Keep going — it will get easier. Focus on
your weight-loss results. Your success will keep you motivated and make
it easier to stay on track. It is absolutely ok to weigh yourself daily;
it will build an aura of success. Although weight loss will vary widely from person to person, you can expect to lose at least 5lb over the fortnight.

PHASE 2: KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF FOREVER

After this initial reset phase, if you want to continue losing weight and feeling well you are ready to move on to Phase Two.

Working your way through Phase One,
you will have already learnt to make your meals more satisfying with
proteins, non-starchy vegetables and heart-healthy fats.

DID YOU KNOW?

The average Briton gains half-a-stone over the festive season- not surprising considering Christmas dinner can contain 4,000 calories

In Phase Two, you should continue to
eat some protein and plenty of vegetables at every meal — but you can
start to add wholegrains (no more than three portions) and fruit (two
portions) to your daily diet. You can also ramp up your exercise regime
with more aerobic activity and toning exercises.

One portion of wholegrain = 1 slice
wholemeal bread; half a wholemeal muffin; half a wholemeal bread roll;
half a cup cooked wholemeal pasta or brown rice; half a jacket potato or
three new potatoes with skins on, or one tbsp wholegrain cereal.

One portion of fruit = 1 small piece
of fresh fruit; half a glass of fruit juice; 1 dessertspoon of dried
fruit; 2 tbsp of canned fruit in juice.

You will continue to lose weight,
although slightly more slowly after the initial reset phase, but it’s a
plan you can enjoy for life.

THE MENUS

You should have a breakfast, lunch, dinner, mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack every day. If you feel you need it, you can also have a pre-dinner snack:

Breakfasts (Choose one)

One sliced boiled egg served with one or two slices of grilled lean bacon and a small glass of tomato juice

Two scrambled eggs plus a small slice of roast beef and sliced tomatoes

One turkey and cheese roll-up (place a large slice of turkey on top of a slice of reduced-fat cheese, such as Leerdammer Lightlife, and roll up) plus a glass of vegetable juice

Egg-white omelette (made using two egg whites and a squirt of cooking spray) with lean ham and mushrooms

A handful of mixed nuts with vegetable crudités (celery, radishes, carrots, cucumber and peppers are all suitable)

Snacks (Choose one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon)

One Babybel Light cheese plus a handful of carrot batons

Cut out starchy food and fill up on veg

One small no-fat yoghurt plus ten walnuts or cashews

One dessert spoon of peanut butter with celery sticks

One stick of low-fat cheese served with celery sticks

Two tablespoons of low-fat cottage cheese with crudités

Lunches (Choose one, plus a pot of sugar-free jelly for dessert)

One grilled chicken breast served with large green salad dressed with oil and vinegar

Two or three ham and cheese roll-ups (place a slice of low-fat/light cheese on top of a slice of lean ham). Served with a tablespoon of raw coleslaw topped with an oil and vinegar dressing and cucumber

One can of flaked tuna in spring water mixed with light mayonnaise and finely chopped pepper and onion, served with a large salad dressed with an oil and vinegar dressing

Large tomato stuffed with low-fat cottage cheese with chives and black pepper, served with a side salad

One grilled Portobello mushroom topped with one thin slice of ham and sprinkle of low-fat cheese

Pre-dinner snacks(Optional)

Red pepper strips with a tablespoon of guacamole

Handful of unsalted, roasted peanuts or pistachios (approx 20)

Tablespoon of low-fat hummus with crudités

Dinners (Choose one, plus a pot of sugar-free jelly for dessert)

One lean grilled beef burger served with steamed vegetables

Portion of rotisserie chicken served with a vegetable salad, sprinkled with pine nuts and oil and vinegar dressing